Will Pat Cummins play in the SRH vs DC match 31 of IPL 2026?

No, Pat Cummins will not feature in today’s SRH vs DC clash — Match 31 of IPL 2026 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Cummins himself confirmed this through an Instagram reply to fans, ruling himself out of the 21 April fixture against Delhi Capitals and stating his target return date is 25 April against Rajasthan Royals.

So, although the Australian captain has rejoined the squad, the orange faithful will have to wait just a little longer to see him lead from the front.

Why Pat Cummins is still sitting this one out?

The story behind Cummins’ absence stretches back quite a while. He was diagnosed with lumbar bone stress in August after first feeling soreness during Australia’s tour of the West Indies, and the injury restricted him to just a single match during the home season, an Adelaide Test against England, where he nonetheless delivered a standout six-wicket haul.

Since that moment, Cricket Australia and SRH’s medical staff have followed a carefully structured plan, refusing to take any shortcuts with one of the world’s premier fast bowlers.

Pat Cummins travelled back to Australia earlier this month for follow-up assessments on the lumbar stress injury, and the scans conducted in Sydney confirmed that the damage has now healed, clearing him to resume competitive cricket. Despite that good news, SRH head coach Daniel Vettori drew a firm line in the sand.

Vettori confirmed that while Cummins would rejoin the squad on 19 April, the plan remains firmly fixed on 25 April against the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur as the target for his first competitive outing this season.

Managing his workload carefully makes every bit of sense, given the enormous Test schedule looming ahead for Australia.

What does this mean for SRH tonight against DC?

Ishan Kishan has led Sunrisers Hyderabad impressively in Cummins’ absence, with SRH winning three games so far and sitting in the first half of the points table. Two of those wins came back-to-back, including a convincing 10-run victory over Chennai Super Kings, where Abhishek Sharma blazed 59 off 22 balls, and Heinrich Klaasen contributed a solid 59, with debutant Eshan Malinga claiming 3 for 29.

Both SRH and DC enter this fixture locked on six points, with SRH fourth on the table and Delhi sitting fifth, making tonight a genuinely consequential fixture for both sides’ playoff ambitions. DC arrive on the back of their own winning momentum, having beaten defending champions RCB by six wickets in their previous game.

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The absence of Pat Cummins certainly leaves a gap in SRH’s bowling attack, but the evidence from recent matches suggests this squad knows exactly how to fill it.

Four days from now, Hyderabad fans finally get what they have been waiting for: their captain back in the thick of it against Rajasthan Royals on 25 April.